Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DM-Scott 06-19-07, 11:52 PM	I'm making a Kalashtar Telepath for a D&D game our group is going to be playing soon. I'm creating an unusual psion. I'm going to give you bit of information about the character. Aratakatari Kuldainar is a kalashtar Telepath who took up the path of the adventurer to better understand herself and to aquire personal strength through testing her powers and her limits. She generally puts others before herself, and analyzes each situation to try to decide how to better apply herself to her party's needs. In general she supports her party memebers through acting as diplomat and information gatherer, as well as backing up her comrades through tactical applications in combat. She's currently level 1, with some really nice ability scores. I've been designing her for some fun stuff. She's very social and strong in personality, and she has a +10 bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate as her primary focuses. In addition she wears a chain shirt and carries a heavy wooden shield and a whip, all of which she made herself (yay for Craft). This does mean she has horrible penaties to all of her attack rolls, with the lack of proficiency in virtually any of her gear, and a -6 total attack modifier with her whip. However, she's well defended at 1st level with AC 19, and the whip is to back up melee characters with flanking. Now for her starting powers I'm definately going wth Psionic Charm, and I think Synesthete, and maybe Empathy. However I'm not really sure I'm terribly keen on being unable to cause any real damage to anyone or anything. I considered dropping Empathy for Mind Thrust (she has a good save DC and one of her starting feats was spent to increase the DCs), so she would have one damaging power, but I think Empathy fits her better. So far here are her stats. Her ability scores are pretty crazy, I know, but my other friend actually got 1 point better than me. Good luck I guess. :D Aratakatari LG Kalashtar Psion (Telepath) 1 HD: 1d4+3 (7hp) Abilities: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 18 BAB/Grapple: +0/+2 AC: 19, Touch: 13, Flat Footed: 14 Fort: +3 (5), Reflex: +3, Will: +5 Melee Attack: Whip -6 (1d3+2 nonlethal) reach 10ft Ranged Attack: Sling -1 (1d4+1, rocks) range 60ft Powers (4 PP/day) 1-Empathy, Psionic Charm, Synesthete Skills: Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Gather Information +8, Intimidate +10, Sense Motive +7, Concentration +7, Listen +5*, Spot +5* Gear: Chain Shirt, Heavy Wooden Shield, Whip, Sling, 50 rocks Notes: Uses Psionic Charm combined with Diplomacy to alter attitudes to Friendly and to Helpful. Uses Synesthete during adventures to prevent sight problems, or to function as a party alarm. Her psycrystal grants the alertness feat, and +2 to her fortitude saves. She uses the whip to flank from safe distances and use "aid another" actions when her powers and skills aren't useful. Any thoughts?
Lycanthromancer 06-20-07, 01:09 AM	For one, you cannot flank with a whip - it's a ranged weapon. For two, with your d4 hit die, unless you have Psionic Body, you're not going to want to be in melee. At all. And even if you are, you're not doing anybody any favors there - what with your horrible attack bonus. My thought is to stay away from melee - use a light crossbow for damage at level 1, and take direct-damage at or after level 3. Until then, take mind****ing powers, utility powers, and defensive powers to up your survivability, and to keep enemies from actually reaching you. That crossbow will do you some good for directly damaging opponents. Get rid of the heavier armor, and get leather instead; it won't ruin your accuracy at all. Also, what feats are you getting? I didn't see that up there.
Sarlax 06-20-07, 01:28 AM	For one, you cannot flank with a whip - it's a ranged weapon. False. The whip (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#whip) is a melee weapon with which you can flank (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm#flanking). "The whip is treated as a melee weapon with 15-foot reach, though you don’t threaten the area into which you can make an attack." "When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by a character or creature friendly to you on the opponent’s opposite border or opposite corner." The whip is a melee weapon, so you're making a melee attack. If your ally is threatening on the opposite side of your target, you get a +2 on your attack. Amusingly, your ally doesn't get the bonus, since the whip-wielder doesn't threaten the creature. This means you can have two allies adjacent to a monster with melee weapons but only one is flanking it. By RAW, you get the +2 for flanking with a whip.
Lycanthromancer 06-20-07, 01:29 AM	I said you cannot flank. So yes, I was fully correct. It's treated as a melee weapon for purposes of feats, etc. In practice, however, it's a ranged/melee hybrid weapon (Dex/Str notwithstanding).
DM-Scott 06-20-07, 01:55 AM	Sorry, I forgot to post the feats. Here's an update. Aratakatari LG Kalashtar Psion (Telepath) 1 HD: 1d4+3 (7hp) Abilities: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 18 BAB/Grapple: +0/+2 AC: 19, Touch: 13, Flat Footed: 14 Fort: +3 (5), Reflex: +3, Will: +5 Melee Attack: Small Spiked Chain -8 (1d6+2) reach 10ft Ranged Attack: Sling -1 (1d4+1, rocks) range 60ft Powers (4 PP/day) 1-Empathy, Psionic Charm, Synesthete Skills: Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Gather Information +8, Intimidate +10, Sense Motive +7, Concentration +7, Listen +5*, Spot +5* Feats: Psicrystal Affinity, Psionic Endowment Gear: Chain Shirt, Heavy Wooden Shield, Whip, Sling, 50 rocks Notes: Uses Psionic Charm combined with Diplomacy to alter attitudes to Friendly and to Helpful. Uses Synesthete during adventures to prevent sight problems, or to function as a party alarm. Her psycrystal grants the alertness feat, and +2 to her fortitude saves. She uses the small spiked chain to flank from safe distances and use "full defese" actions when her powers and skills aren't useful. I didn't realize that you couldn't threaten with the whip. May need to rethink that. I may switch it with a small spiked chain if I decide to go with this odd concept... However, Lycanthomancer suggests I should avoid anything resembling melee, so I'll keep that in mind. I never intended to turn her into a melee-mancer, though the 1 handed reach weapon was intended to support other characters in the party - such as the party's rogue - should the party be forced into an otherwise tight area (where she has no where to hide). Also to my knowledge, should she be near melee range, I can take a full defense action (+4 AC, bringing her to 23 AC at level 1) and still provide a threatened area with with chain, giving an ally a +2 flanking bonus, correct? She's wearing the armor primarily because she can. Indeed she's not intended to engage in real combat, but with her d4 hit dice, and total of 7hp, the armor seems like it would be a good idea to help prevent stray arrows / bolts / ranged death. Even with the armor penalties to attack, I gave her a sling because: 1, it's cheap, and 2, because she has a +2 strength bonus, and I figured 1d4+2 (+1 if using rocks, +2 with bullets) could be a good thing, and she could drop her shield to bring her attack with her sling to +1 ranged, while keeping a fair AC for her level. But, I'll consider using the light crossbow / leather armor, so thank you Lycanthromancer. She's generally intended to odd party support through tactical strategy, and as Lycanthromancer said "mind****ing", at least as these low levels (until her psionic power options begin to open up). Any ideas on some powers I perhaps should look into, or other ideas for how to assist the party in combat (creatively)?
Lycanthromancer 06-20-07, 02:26 AM	If you can lower your attack penalty (preferably to nothing), entangling ectoplasm lasts a full 5 rounds, has no save, and severely hampers your foes' ability to move, attack, defend, and succeed on Reflex saves. Quite possibly THE best 1st level power in the book. If you want good ranged support (and really good damage), get Point Blank Shot and Psionic Shot. Once per battle, you can deal 1d8 + 2d6 points of piercing damage with a light crossbow, or 1d4 +2 + 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage with that sling. Since Psionic Shot merely mentions ranged attacks, you should be able to get the +2d6 damage on entangling ectoplasm too, but that's awfully cheesy stuff, and you'll have to put off having a psicrystal until later (barring flaws and extra feats). Anything with a 1 round/level duration should be saved until later on, especially those with longer manifesting times. I always save astral construct until second level for just that reason. If you DO want to stay with your idea of melee support, get vigor. You'll have what amounts to a d9 hit die if you use it right before jumping into battle, which is better than some melee classes. Vigor + Psionic Body + 1 more psionic feat will get you a d13 - better than a barbarian with an identical Con. You do have options; use them wisely. If you want my take on your intentions for the above build, I'd want to take entangling ectoplasm, psionic charm, and vigor. Get the Psicrystal Affinity: Single Minded feat (which can assist with sight problems outside of combat), but avoid Psionic Endowment for the moment. With a good Int score, you shouldn't have many problems with failed saves, at least for the moment. You should wait until you can use psychic reformation to get both Endowment feats simultaneously; they don't do much good, otherwise. By that point, get the Illithid Heritage feat (but only as a prerequisite), then get that other heritage feat (don't remember what it is...) that grants a +1 bonus to Telepathy powers. 4 feats = +3 to DCs. A psionatrix of telepathy and a headband of intellect (or the animal affinity power) grants an extra +2 to +4 to the DC as well. For the second feat...um...you could get...something else. Either Psionic Body (for the hp) or Skill Focus: Concentration (for manifesting defensively). That'll help keep you safe while in melee. If you get a polearm, spiked chain, or a kusari-gama (check the futuristic and exotic weapons in the DMG), you should be able to flank even with an attrocious attack penalty. Just don't actually try to make attacks on your own. Use your crossbow or sling for that. Your best bet, though, is to literally use your charmed victi - er...friends - as meatshields. Have THEM flank for you; when the duration is about to end, have them submit to some save-or-suck power that you convince them is a buff, so when they turn hostile, they're hosed. Just get your Diplomacy and Bluff skills as high as you can get them. Definitely get some leather armor and a shield - a heavy/tower shield if using a 1-handed weapon, or a buckler for a 2-handed one. Using inertial armor would be better, but you only have so many power slots to fill - maybe 2nd level, along with some other power of your choice? And that's all I have to say...for now. I could offer you some other builds if you like, however. Just give me an idea of what you want.
hovnarr 06-20-07, 05:02 AM	The Psion Buildguide has many telepath builds to get inspiration from. One power I'd like to recommend for your needs is Matter Agitation. Consider this: Against opponents with decent AC (i.e. the ones your party needs to fear at this level), your basic warrior type will hit maybe 50% of the time doing perhaps 7 damage on average per hit. That's 7 damage over 2 rounds. By spending only 1 pp on Matter Agitation, you basically get a small fire weapon that always hits, ignores attack rolls (which means your penalties), and it affects an area meaning you can damage swarms (another fearful opponent at low levels) with it to boot (plus it has many utility uses like setting stuff on fire or heating stuff). The damage? It's the same as for the warrior: 7 damage over 2 rounds when the power is up and running. It's a bit slow in the start, but that's basically the only drawback. Plus you get to stay at a safe distance while still dishing out as much damage as your average melee weapon wielder. Against fire-resistant foes or minor threats, use a light crossbow. These two simple offensive options are excellent complements to your social repertoire.
Lycanthromancer 06-20-07, 10:25 AM	Matter agitation would be a good idea for a poor man's energy current, but you do have to spend time concentrating every round, and once your current target is dead, you have to re-manifest it. I'm not saying it's a bad thing (as it's extremely power point efficient), just something to be aware of; ie, you can't retarget the same manifestation. Also, make sure to target something that has high defense/hp, that your warrior friends can't reach or get to for a few rounds, or that you can otherwise get several rounds' worth of concentration on. Spending 1 pp on 1 point of damage before the party's fighter lops its head off certainly isn't a good idea (spending limited resources on direct damage at this level is rarely a good idea for such a resource-starved character).
hovnarr 06-20-07, 10:50 AM	once your current target is dead, you have to re-manifest it. I'm not saying it's a bad thing (as it's extremely power point efficient), just something to be aware of; ie, you can't retarget the same manifestation I suppose I got a generous ruling from my DM, but he allows me to switch targets provided I reset the "damage ladder" at 1 point for the new target again. This is because the odd target/area entry specifying not a creature, but a surface area. The way we see it, it's like a "psionic microwave" that can heat a surface. It takes a while to get the agitation going, but that's an effect of the matter you agitate - not the power itself (it's at full power from the get go). Therefore, if you move the area around, it will again take time to agitate it enough to deal significant damage. It makes sense to me, so I do it that way in my campaigns too. Spending 1 pp on 1 point of damage before the party's fighter lops its head off certainly isn't a good idea (spending limited resources on direct damage at this level is rarely a good idea for such a resource-starved character). Agreed. But if a fighter can finish the monster in one round, there's usually no need to manifest anyway and you can just support him with your crossbow or something.
pickfoll 06-21-07, 09:17 AM	I would suggest along with the mind****ing powers that you look at Crystal Shard there is no save, no SR, and it is augmentable a great 1st level power.
Tyroki 06-21-07, 09:24 AM	I suppose I got a generous ruling from my DM, but he allows me to switch targets provided I reset the "damage ladder" at 1 point for the new target again. Yee gads O.o Supermans laser eyes!
Lycanthromancer 06-21-07, 05:41 PM	I would suggest along with the mind****ing powers that you look at Crystal Shard there is no save, no SR, and it is augmentable a great 1st level power.It is a good power...just not from level 1. 1d6 for 1 power point, or 1d8 for a crossbow bolt? Generally, it's not worth it until after 2nd level (though judicious use of either wild surge or Overchannel can make it worthwhile at 2nd; only Psionic Shot can make it useful at 1st).
DM-Scott 06-21-07, 07:01 PM	Wanted to say thanks everybody. I'm taking notes. Probably going to be playing this character in the very near future, so all these things are good to know. I like psionics, but I usually GM rather than run PCs (hence my forum name), and while I'm generally happy with the NPCs I make throughout the game, I'm usually a bit more uncertain when it comes to actual characters who are involved in more than a simple plot-line / encounter / etc. Thanks again for everyone's help. :D